20,000 Sign Senate Petition For Lanza'a Gas Tax Relief Plan

More than 20,000 New Yorkers have signed online petitions supporting legislation, passed last week by the State Senate, to eliminate New York State taxes on gasoline from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The online petitions were set up by members of the Senate Majority Conference.

"More people are signing our petitions every day because they are sick and tired of seeing gas prices increase every day," said Senator Andrew Lanza (S-I, Staten Island), sponsor of the gas tax relief bill. "They are saying loud and clear that they want the Assembly to join the Senate in passing a bill that would bring them relief at the gas pump."

"Higher gas prices are forcing up the costs of everything else and putting tremendous pressure on families to get by," Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno said. "The incredible response to our on-line petitions are another indication of frustration on the part of so many New Yorkers who something done to give them relief."

The bill (S7594-A), sponsored by Senator Lanza and Senator Joe Robach, will eliminate the New York State taxes on gasoline from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Under the bill, local governments would have the option of waiving their local sales taxes of approximately 14 cents per gallon. If the federal, State and local governments all temporarily suspended their taxes, New Yorkers would save 65 cents per gallon at the pump.

If the State enacts this tax relief plan, New Yorkers would save approximately 32 cents per gallon in state gasoline taxes, including 16 cents from the State’s Petroleum Business Tax, 8 cents from the State sales tax, and 8 cents from the State’s Motor Fuel Excise Tax.

"Almost 1,500 hundred of my constituents signed up to support the gas tax holiday because the high prices are making it so difficult for people to make ends meet. We need to pressure the Assembly to act and pass the Senate bill so we can lower the cost of doing business in New York," said Senator Joe Robach (R,C,I,WF-Rochester).